DETERMINATION:Surfrider Foundation Assistant Enviromental Director, Mark Rauscher, is confident that after the California Costal Commission Hearing last Monday in Del Mar, California, meets again in January, the decision will be no Toll Road at Trestles Surf Beach.

This last week I got an assignment that no one else wanted. I had written something on the Toll Road issue a couple of weeks ago; I finished the blog entry with a silent quest to find out more about the Toll Road Extension issue.

I had mentioned before that I was 60/40 opposed to the Toll Road extension and now I will reveal that the percentage was due in large part on my wife’s strong opposition to the Toll Road(Disclosure:we both have TCA transponders in our cars).

My wife has a sharp political eye and I always listen to what she says because she is so much in tune with what is ultimately right and wrong and whether it’s a popular opinion or not. I don’t always agree with her on everything and as we have not had a tv in our house in 20 years, we “discuss” and “go-over” things….a lot.

From a editorial photographer’s point of view, writing an article, is signifigantly more work than just taking the photos. Don’t get me wrong, my eyes “sweat” to get just the right shot but the mind “sweat” I had over this article got my attention. It was actually not that difficult to write, just putting down the words in a certain order really.

The harder work was effectively wading through the information to make it all acurate and balanced. Usually the lense and camera body record exactly what I see but interviews and digging for that kernel of interrestingness is another matter. I really enjoyed it and my point of view is a little selfish. I am finding out how I see the Toll Road issue at the same time I am reporting on it. I enjoy most the “detente” of staying impartial and delivering sentences that portray the situation as it is.

I wrote my article and turned it in a little over the deadline. I had made some calls to the elected types and was a little down that, by the deadline, I hadn’t heard from them. It would have made the article that much more interesting and informative.

I am hoping the story has legs and I can do a follow up. Already, there are a few sidebars that I can write and most likely will. Meanwhile I’ll continue to investigate and see where the facts clash and who is left standing at the end. The good news for me is that, now, the Toll Road issue is in a holding pattern until January 7th, awaiting a decision from the Secretary of Commerce to make a decision; it seems like this will be a house by house street fight in the old school tradition.